'Truly cold air mass' shatters dozens more B.C. weather records

There were dozens more cold weather records broken across British Columbia on Thursday, according to preliminary data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Daily minimum temperature records were set from the southern tip of Vancouver Island to the northeastern corner of the province, and many spots in between.

The coldest record-breaking temperature was measured in Fort Nelson, which saw the mercury dip to -43.6 C, beating the previous Dec. 22 minimum of -39.5 from 1984.

The oldest record to fall was in Pitt Meadows, where the temperature dropped to -12.4 C. The previous daily record of -12.2 C was set back in 1879 – 143 years ago.

The weather reached a minimum of -13.5 C in the Vancouver area on Thursday, breaking the previous daily minimum record of -11.5 C.

The full list of daily minimum temperature records set across the province on Thursday include, in alphabetical order:

• Abbotsford – new record of -13.4, previous record of 11.7 set in 1970
• Agassiz – new record of -13.6, previous record of -13.5 set in 1990
• Blue River – new record of -39.8, previous record of -35.8 set in 1983
• Burns Lake – new record of -35.7, previous record of -34.9 set in 1983
• Cache Creek – new record of -30, previous record of -26.5 set in 1983
• Clearwater – new record of -34.5, previous record of -27.8 set in 1924
• Clinton – new record of -35.8, previous record of -27 set in 1983
• Cranbrook – new record of -34, previous record of -30.4 set in 1990
• Dawson Creek – new record of -41.8, previous record of -38.9 set in 1933
• Fort Nelson – new record of -43.6, previous record of -39.5 set in 1984
• Hope – new record of -17.2, previous record of -13.4 set in 1983
• Kamloops – new record of -30.2, previous record of -25.6 set in 1891
• Kelowna – new record of -29, previous record of -25.2 set in 1983
• Lillooet – new record of -26.7, previous record of -22.2 set in 1924
• Lytton – new record of -24.8, previous record of -20.6 set in 1983
• Mackenzie – new record of -38.8, previous record of -29.6 set in 1983
• Malahat – new record of -12.7, previous record of -8.5 set in 1990
• Nakusp – new record of -20, previous record of -19.5 set in 1983
• Nelson – new record of -20.3, previous record of -17.2 set in 1921
• Osoyoos – new record of -21.8, previous record of -17.5 set in 1983
• Penticton – new record of -22.3, previous record of -15.8 set in 1983
• Pitt Meadows – new record of -12.4, previous record of -12.2 set in 1879
• Port Alberni – new record of -13.6, previous record of -13.5 set in 1983
• Prince George – new record of -39.9, previous record of -38.9 set in 1924
• Princeton – new record of -38.6, previous record of -35.3 set in 1983
• Puntzi Mountain – new record of -41.3, previous record of -32.4 set in 2008
• Quesnel – new record of -38.6, previous record of -31.1 set in 1921
• Revelstoke – new record of -26.6, previous record of -23.3 set in 1909
• Salmon Arm – new record of -30.2, previous record of -26.5 set in 1983
• Sechelt – new record of -11.2, previous record of -8.0 set in 1983
• Squamish – new record of -11.7, previous record of -11 set in 1990
• Summerland – new record of -23, previous record of -18.5 set in 1983
• Tatlayoko Lake – new record of -30.9, previous record of -27.8 set in 1964
• Trail – new record of -25.7, previous record of -24.0 set in 1983
• Vancouver – new record of -13.5, previous record of -11.5 set in 1983
• Victoria – new record of -8.4, previous record of -8.3 set in 1998
• Victoria Harbour – new record of -9.5, previous record of -7.8 set in 1983
• Whistler – new record of -21.4, previous record of -20.0 set in 1951
• White Rock – new record of -11.7, previous record of -9.6 set in 1998
• Williams Lake – new record of -36, previous record of -33.3 set in 1983
• Yoho National Park – new record of -39.6, previous record of -36 set in 1990

Environment Canada's weather records page noted the data "may contain preliminary or unofficial information."

Meteorologist Trevor Smith told CTV News the frigid temperatures were the result of a "truly cold air mass" over the province – the same one that has kept roads covered in snow and ice this week, and resulted in repeated warnings to avoid unnecessary travel.

Conditions are expected to get worse heading into the Christmas weekend, with forecasters expecting a mix of snowfall, freezing rain and ice pellets.

"We have a real mess of conditions coming," Smith said. "To make the transition from such a cold air mass into the milder Pacific air, we kind of have to go through this transition, and that's exactly what we're seeing."

Environment Canada is expecting temperatures to begin warming up for most of the South Coast by Sunday, and to remain more typically mild through the New Year's Eve weekend.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Alissa Thibault